CONNAH’S Quay Nomads will have at least four new faces on board for their New Year’s Day showdown at Rhyl (2.30pm) – and boss Jim Hackett says they desperately need them.

Nomads are just three points above the relegation places after going down 5-0 at home to the Lilywhites on Boxing Day and 4-0 at Neath on Saturday.

The heavy losses offered Hackett the final proof that some players are not up to playing in the Welsh top flight.

Hackett is also having to do without Chris Williams and Adam Dickinson.

And now former Chester City midfielder Wes Kilgannon has joined the key duo on the treatment table after pulling his hamstring in the first of the double header with Rhyl.

Adam Hitchen, who was unable to play in the derby after hurting himself in the warm-up, will not feature in the return match even if he recovers as he serves a one-game ban for five yellow cards, while Allan Glover, having been sent-off at Neath, remains suspended, as does Stuart Cook.

He has also signed young defender Liam Jones from Flint Town United and has made offers for a host of other players, including midfielder Kyle Jacobs from Porthmadog.

Hackett said: “We have been waiting for the transfer window to open on January 1 as I feel the players coming in will help us get the 12 points I feel we need to stay up.

“They haven’t been dragged down by our poor results so they are fresh and confident.

“At the beginning of the season we just had to build a squad, now we have to better it. The players we’ve got have done a job, but they’ve shown their limitations and none can go away saying they haven’t had a chance.”

One crumb of comfort for Hackett has been the fine return of captain and defensive linchpin Gary Pinch.

Hackett said: “Pinchy’s a great example to all the lads who are injured as he reacted in the right manner to being out. He hasn’t let his head drop and he’s stood up and been counted.”